A Framework for the Future: The Tower Scholars Program

Fourth year Economics major Zach Miller describes how the Tower Scholars Program has shaped his understanding of the world.

A few years ago I walked into a store to buy a frame. As a chronic procrastinator (and a good one at that), I had planned to buy one for months. But despite having already spent heavily to secure its eventual contents, I just hadn’t gotten around to it. Those contents would be delivered soon enough, but in the meantime, I couldn’t help but get distracted by all the other shiny products on the shelves.

When the time came to choose a frame, it was among the most emotionally and intellectually taxing decisions I’ve ever made. ‘Do I choose the black and elegantly hand-crafted wooden frame?’ I asked myself, ‘Or the glistening, gold-painted aluminum one?’ Both were priced to fit a college student’s budget. Both were durable enough to get the job done. And while the frames could not have been more different, both were luring me.

Eventually, I made my way to the checkout counter with one of those two frames. While I tried desperately to hide the gloomy look on my face, I was upset—even frustrated—by the trade-off I was having to make. Reaching timidly toward my back pocket to retrieve my wallet, I sighed. Then, as I moved to swipe my credit card, the cashier scanned the lone frame before she held it up, and said, “You know we’re having a buy-one-get-one-free deal on picture frames? Today only! Would you like—” I didn’t hear the rest of her question; I was already back on aisle nine. READ MORE